The Heart of a Shadow
by YaamiGirl
Summary: Your future has been mapped out for you, you're to marry the soon-to-be Pharaoh, and live as a princess, but is that what your heart really wants ? Will contain violence and lemons at a later date. ;
1. Chapter 1

It was a night like any other night. Dry and hot. Father had given me a new dress and told me I had to wear it tonight. We were going out.

The Pharaoh was having some sort of ball and father and I were invited. Father knew the Pharaoh; they had been close friends for years, growing up together. Tonight I was to meet his son, Prince Atem. He was eleven, three years older than me.  
I wasn't sure about it all. I had never met this, Atem and although he was a prince I really didn't see the point in being bustled into a bath & scrubbed until I was spotless by our maid, Rhina. I was also not too fond of being bundled into the dress and having my hair messed around with. I would much rather be outside exploring some old run-down building or climbing a tree. Father disapproved of this, saying I was a young lady and should really start to learn to act like one. He often said he was too soft on me and let me do as I pleased, that I walked all over him.

"Come on." My father was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs..

I walked down slowly, folding my arms, showing him my annoyance. I did not want to go to this ball and that was that. Father was not having any of it.

" Kateriya, can't you move any faster ?"

I scowled. I _hated _him calling me that.

"If your face stays like that then how in Ra's name do you expect to impress our hosts ?" he asked. "Atem isn't going to like you very much if you keep that attitude."

Why should I be worried if Atem didn't like me. I didn't know him. He didn't exactly sound like much fun. He sat up there in his palace all day doing nothing. Boring.

My father sighed. "Kateriya, if you don't do what you're told you will be very sorry."  
I did my best to change my face and put on a somewhat happier one. When father got annoyed it wasn't good.

He led me out to where our carriage was waiting. It had no roof and sat only the two of us. Our big chestnut mare stood harnessed to it, ready to take us to the palace. Even she was dressed up fancy for the occasion, she had her mane tied with pieces of ribbon and her tail too. I wondered why father was making such a huge deal out of all of this. After all, it was only his friend. They had grown up together, why make such an effort ?

When we arrived at the palace one of the servants helped us down from the carriage and led us inside. The hall was decorated with gold, fine statues, carvings and many tapestries. At the far end there was a huge throne made of gold like almost everything else in the room. A huge crowd of people already filled the room, the babbling of many people talking reached my ears.

I was led down amongst the crowd and up to two people I had never met. I assumed they were the prince and the pharaoh. Father began talking to the other man, he introduced me and then turned to the boy.  
"This is Prince Atem."

I looked at the boy in front of me. He was a head or so taller than me and had dark violet eyes, half hidden by his bangs which fell in front of his face. He wore a crown and around his neck a charm shaped like a pyramid.

"Nice to meet you Kateriya." He said, holding out a hand. I stared at him, unimpressed. My father nudged me with his knee.

"Pleasure.." I said quietly. Father left with the pharaoh and I was left standing with the boy. He was looking at me curiously.

"I'm.. gunna go over there, get a drink." I said, pointing towards a table.

"Alright," He said, "I'll wait here."  
I walked away from him, disappearing into the crowd. There was no way I was going to stay there with him. My thoughts were right, boring, traditional, yawn.

As I milled about, I discovered a velvet curtain that led out onto a balcony. There was no-one out here so I decided to stay. It was always hot in summer, but there was a wind blowing and it felt so good after being in that stuffy hall. I leant over the balcony a little, looking at the ground below, it wasn't a long drop. There was a light swish of velvet and then a voice.

"What are you doing ?"

I turned around and found a boy looking back at me. He had white hair and dark eyes. He looked about ten. His face was a little dirty and his clothes were grubby.

"I was just looking… Who are you anyway ?" I asked.

He gave me a cheeky smile, "I'm Bakura. What about you ?"

"Kat- Kaiya." I corrected myself.

"What're you doing out here ?"

"I'm bored.."

"Me too. I'm gunna go take a look around." He stepped up onto the balcony rail and jumped down.

"Hey, wait for me." I said, getting ready for the jump. He smirked a little, "You'll get that pretty dress dirty."

I jumped down beside him. "Let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

He led me to a place I had never seen before. Most of the buildings were old and dirty. Bakura stopped outside one of them, turning to me. So this is where he lived.

"Where are we ?" I asked.

"This is Kul Elna." he replied.

He told me it had once been a part of the city, but it was no longer so. I looked around in fascination, hearing so much about it yet never seeing it for myself. A woman came out of the house. She wasn't much taller than Bakura and looked not a lot like him. Her hair was dark and her skin was pale, unlike his tanned skin. The only give-away of their relation was her eyes. They were the same dark brown.

"Bakura, where is your father ?"

"He's still at the palace, mother."

She sighed softly, "I just hope he's careful."

I looked at Bakura. He shook his head.

The woman then turned to me, "And who might you be ?" she asked kindly.

"I'm Kaiya.." I said.

Bakura stepped forward. "I met her at the palace. We got bored so we came here."

"Ahh." She smiled. "Alright Kaiya. Would you like a drink ?"

"That would be nice." I answered, smiling back at her.

They led me inside. It was nothing like home. The house was small and not very well lit. I took a seat and Bakura fetched me a drink.

"Make yourself at home dear." Said his mother.

* * *

It was dark by the time I got home. I let myself in only to find father standing in the hall. His expression was unreadable.

"Kateriya, where have you been ?" he spoke quietly, which was far worse than him shouting.

"I was with a friend.." I said.

"A friend ? Who might this friend be ?"

"His name is Bakura.. He lives in Kul Elna."

Father turned away from me then.

"Do you not remember what I told you about that place ? It is dangerous, full of thieves, murderers, monsters."

"I.. they didn't seem so bad, father. They were really nice. They -"

He turned round suddenly,

"People aren't always what they seem ! You're still young, you have _**no **_idea what's out there ! A man was arrested at the palace tonight, for stealing. I'm sure he _seemed_ alright but he attacked a man and could have killed him !"

I stood silently, staring at my father.

"He's going to be put to death tomorrow for his crimes."

Rhina stepped forward from the kitchen.

"Please sir, she's only a girl.. She doesn't need to know of such things." she said quietly.

My father looked away from me. "I don't want you to see that boy again. I don't want you to go to Kul Elna again. Things are going to change around here  
Kateriya. Now, get out of my sight."

I obediently ran upstairs and into my room, closing the door behind me.

What did he mean change ? What was going to happen ? I sat down on the bed and continued thinking. After an hour my tiredness got the better of me. Curling up on the bed, I finally fell into sleep.


End file.
